Car-coupling



(No Model.)

A. M. MARLEY.

OAR COUPLING.

No. 349,853. Patented Sept. 28, 1886.

C 0 m a v m 8 Nirn rates 'ATENT rice.

CAR-COUPLING.

QPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 349,853, dated September 28,1886.

Application filed June 25, 1886. Serial No. 206,247. (No model.)

To all 1077,0712, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALLEN MONROE MAR- LEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at De Soto, in the county of Johnson and State of Kansas, have invented anew and useful Improvement in GarOouplings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in car-couplings; and it consists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices, that will be more fully set forth hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is aside elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a top plan view, partly in horizontal section, on theline x .60 of Fig. at. Fig. 4 is an end elevation. Fig.5 is a detail perspective view of the coupling-link. Fig. 6 is a detached sectional View of the cam G.

A represents the drawhcad, which is provided in its sides, near its front end, with openings B. The mouth of the draw-head is flared outwardly, in the usual manner, and thereby adapted to more readily receive the coupling link, and in the lower side of the draw-head is a longitudinal groove, 0, the outer end of which, at the mouth of the draw-head, is broadened and provided with oppositely-extending diagonal sides or shoulders O. In the upper side of the draw-head is a. countersunk circular opening, D, through the center of which extends a vertical opening, D. A transverse groove, E, is made in the upper side of the draw-hcad above the opening D, and in the said groove fits a plate, F, which is provided with a central opening, F.

G represents a circular cam, which fits in the recess or countersunk opening D, and is provided with a depending central stud or trunnion, G, which enters the opening D. From the upper side of the cam extends a central vertical spindle, G which passes through the opening F. In opposite sides of the cam are made openings or recesses g, in which are pivoted the inner ends of the outerward1yextending arms H, which pass through openings A, that are made in the sides of the drawhead above the outer ends of the openings 13.

I represents a pair of jaws, which fit in the openings B, and have their rear ends hinged in the said openings by means of vertical pins K. Springs L are secured in the sides of the draw-head, in rear of the jaws I, and the said springs bear against the inner sides of the extreme inner ends of the said jaws, so as to keep the latter normally closed in the openings B, with their outer sides flush with the sides of the drawhead. The front ends of the jaws I are provided on their inner opposingsides with shoulders I. The outer ends of thcjaws I are connected to the outer ends of the cam-arms H, as shown, so that by partly rotating the cam the arms H will be extended from opposite sides of the draw-head so as to open the shouldered outer ends of the jaws against the tension of the springs L.

To the upper end of the spindle G is. attached a yoke, M, the arms of which extend in opposite directions.

N represents a vertical rod, which is journaled in blocks 0, that are secured to the front end. of the ear. Near the upper end of the shaft N is a ratchet-wheel, P, with which engages a detent-pawl, It. A suitable wheel or crank is attached to the upper end of the shaft N, by means of which the latter may be rotated, and to the lower end of the shaft is attached a rope or chain, S, the outer end of which is also attached to the yoke M.

From the foregoing description it will be readily understood that by rotating the shaft M the cam may be caused to turnin the drawhead, and thus distend the outer end of the jaws I.

T represents the coupling-link, which is provided at its extremities with shouldered heads T, which are adapted to enter the draw-l1ead and strike against the opposing inclined inner Sides of the jaws. so as to move the latter outwardly and enable the headed end of the coupling-link to engage the shoulders I of thejaws, and thus couple the cars together. In order to direct the head of the coupling-link directly between the outer end of the couplingjaws, I provide the said coupling 011 its upper and lower sides at its extremities with longitudinal tongues T one of which is adapted to e11- ter the groove 0 in the lowerside of the drawhead, and thus direct the coupling-link between the two jaws. The operation of coupling the cars together is thus performed automatically when the cars come in contact with each other, as will be readilyunderstood from the foregoing description. In order to uncouple the cars, it is only necessary to turn the cam G, so as to cause it to move the outer ends of the jaws Ioutwardly away from each other.

In order to adapt my car-coupling to be used in connection with a car provided with an ordinary form of pin-and-1ink coupling, I provide the draw-head, near its outer end, with a vertical opening, U,for the usual coupling-pin.-

Having thus described my invention, I claim The combination of the draw-head having the grooves G in its lower side and the openings B in its sides, the spring-actuated jaws ders I on their inner opposing sides at their outer ends, the cam having the arms H, extending outwardly in opposite directions and connected to the coupling-jaws, and the coupling-link having the head T, adapted to engage the shouldered outer ends of the couplingjaws, and the tongues T, (one or more,) adapted to enter the groove 0 when the cars come together, and direct the coupling-link between the shouldered ends of the coupling-jaws, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALLEN MONROE MARLEY. 

